Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Environmental Sciences, H.N.B. Garhwal University (A Central University), Srinagar, Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India
Online published on 30 January, 2020.
The samples of water were collected from two thermal water ponds of the Garhwal Himalaya in the vicinity of the world famous Hindu Shrine Badrinath for a period of two years in two sampling operations each year for studying the physical, chemical characteristics and microbial diversity (bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi). Overall fifteen physical and chemical characteristics including temperature, DO concentration in water, pH, electrical conductivity, free CO2, concentration of salinity, concentration of total dissolved solids, chlorides, concentration of total alkalinity, concentration of salts like nitrates, sulphates, phosphates, concentration of total hardness, Calcium and Magnesium of water recorded. Ten strains of bacteria, five strains of archaea and six strains of fungi were identified from the hot water of Tapt Kund with an α-diversity of 21. However, the α-diversity of Narad Kund was recorded to be 21 with ten strains of bacteria, five strains of archaea and six strains of fungi. The water temperature of Tapt Kund ranged between 450C and 490C; and the temperature of Narad Kund ranged between 41°C and 45°C.
Physico-chemical parameters, Microbial diversity, Tapt Kund, Narad Kund, Badrinath, Garhwal Himalaya
